Sunday, November 27, 2011

Found this about how the BBC picked which F1 races it would cover live in 2012

It has been interesting to see the response to the BBC/Sky announcements today regarding their coverage for next year (you can read about their plans 81 Comments). Most of the feedback coming my way from fans, it has to be said, has been pretty damning of the BBC. Here's a selection of Twitter reactions I have received:

"Absolute joke. 3rd round before a LIVE race. No full re-runs either (another Lie) sadly Black Friday now has a meaning in F1"

"it's not great Tom, 4 out of the 10 are iconic #f1 tracks with history and excitement, the rest well… VALENCIA says it all."

"I'll be going to sky… I want to see everything!!"

"I'm devastated we're only getting highlights of 10 of the races. I could cope with non-live full race replays but not this!"

"Surprised TBH! If they did get the first pick of the pot, why didn't they pick Oz? Or Canada or Japan?"

The 'extended highlights' rather than full re-runs is clearly a sore point – not helped by the fact that there has been confusion over this issue from the start. Martin Whitmarsh said when the deal was first announced that Bernie had promised the teams full re-runs on the BBC and fans had got their hopes up (although 90mins and 120mins of highlights is pretty comprehensive).

As far as which live races the BBC picked – another sore point – I think it is worth mentioning the selection process.

My understanding is that the BBC had the first three picks. It went for Monaco, Silverstone and the season finale in Brazil. You can't really argue with any of those. The first two speak for themselves while the third – well, imagine if we get a repeat of 2008 next year with Lewis Hamilton going for the title at Interlagos… the BBC couldn't afford to take the risk.

Sky then had the next three picks and then there was a system whereby I'm told they alternated. But there were stipulations. Neither channel could pick three consecutive races. In other words, the BBC was not allowed to have three consecutive races live while Sky was not allowed three consecutive races exclusively live, which made it rather tricky. Try it for yourself.

For instance, the BBC could not have Monza – one of the classic circuits and one which most F1 fans would want – because that would have made it three in a row with Spa and Singapore on either side. The BBC also had other considerations such as the Euros next summer, which clash with Canada.

All in all I don't think BBC has done too badly with its picks considering the limitations imposed on it by the contract (it's the contract which is the real bone of contention here, of course, but remember the BBC coverage could not stay as it is now forever, cost-cutting etc – but that is a separate debate). Having both the Spanish races is a bit of a drag. And not having a race until China is also a blow with Sky having a golden opportunity to steal a march.

But Sky will be sweating, too, particularly on the outcome of the Bahrain and Austin grands prix, both of which it has exclusively live. One or both of those could be dropped at the WMSC meeting in a couple of weeks.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Sky is to launch a new sports channel devoted entirely to Formula One motor racing and will use it to drive takeup of high definition television.

Sky Sports F1 HD will be the satellite broadcaster's first channel devoted to a single sport. Sky bagged UK TV rights to Formula One for the first time earlier this year in a joint deal with the BBC, which previously had exclusive coverage of the sport.

The channel, which will broadcast for all of the nine-month F1 season from next year, will be available to subscribers to Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2, and to non-sports customers who subscribe to its HD services. Sky Sports subscribers without HD will receive a standard definition version.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Channel Five and its sister channels Five* and Five USA has today changed frequency.

It is no longer available on its old frequency of 12442 H.

The Channel Fives are now located on the new frequency of 10965 H 22000 5/6

This new frequency for the Channel Fives is on the new Astra 1N satellite.

This new Channel Five frequency has a very good strong signal here in Spain and the Costa Blanca, and should be easily available on an 80cm satellite dish. If you can receive True Movies (sky channel 321), then you should be able to receive Channel Five on its new frequency. If you cannot receive Channel Five, and you are receiving a "no signal is being received" message, then either your satellite dish may need to be realigned, or it may be too small toreceive Chanel Five on the new frequency..

Sky boxes should will automatically change to the new Channel Five frequency, and users need to do nothing.

Freesat boxes: this does not affect Freesta users at the moment, but you will have to performa Freesat channel scan on the 8th December 2011 to inlcude the Five channels into your Freesat channel list.

Any other receivers will need to be manually updated, via the installation menu, for the new Chanel Five frequency on Astra 1N

Friday, November 18, 2011

These are some of the latest frequencies showing test signals for the new Astra 1N satellite, that has recently been launched and will be providing additional satellite capaciity for UK Satellite TV.

From the looks of it the scare stories being banded around about loosing channels may just be that: stories.

These three frequencies are onthe alleged UK Spot beam of Astra 1N, however I am able to receive these on my 80cm dish.

Frequency: 11053 horizontal symbol rate 22000 fec 5/6
Currently transmitting and carrying ITV1 regions, in the clear with no sky viewing card required.
These ITV1 regions may be in preparation for the ITV1 regions on Frequency 11973 or 12402 that do require a sky card to be moved.

Frequency: 10965 horizontal symbol rate 22000 fec 5/6
Currently transmitting carrying Channel 5, Five USA, Five USA+1, 5*, 5*+1, and "7720" which we think may well be Channel 5+1. These channelsa re still encrypted at the moment.
These channel Five channels may be in preparation for the channel Five channels on Frequency 12422 that do require a sky card to be moved. They are expected to get Free to air, available with no sky card, sometime in December.

Frequency: 11.123 vertical symbol rate:22000 fec:2/3
Currently transmitting carrying C4HD.
This C4HD may be in preparation for Chanel 4 HD to move from is current frequency ot another, and it may also be in preparation for more C4 HD channels, like E4HD and maybe even Film4HD.

Note: These are the latest test signals. They may not be the final frequencies for the channels. Although I am able to recevive these on my 80cm satellite dish , there is no saying they will still be available on my 80cm satellite dish when the channels go live.

These satellites provide the UK And Europe with the UK satellite TV channels, such as the BBC, ITV and those provided on the Freesat and Sky satellite platforms.

These five satellites are located at 28.2 to 28.5 degrees east of south.

Each of these satellites operate a number of "beams". Each of these beams have different reception characteristics, especially in fringe reception areas like Spain and the Costa Blanca. This is the reason why channels like Sky News can be reepived in Spain on a smller satellite dish than channels like BBC TV Channels, as these channels are distributed across these different beams.

There are a number of "siganl reception maps" or "footprints" for these beams, but they have to be treated with some caution. Many of them are the theoretical reecption, and are different to the actual reception.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Channel 5 is to launch a one-hour timeshifted version of its main terrestrial network next month.

Channel 5+1 will launch on Freeview, Freesat and BSkyB in early December.

The broadcaster said the new channel, which will give viewers the chance to catch up on Channel 5 shows such as Big Brother, CSI and children's strand Milkshake, is also "expected" to be available via Virgin Media at some point next year.

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